McCain's Map Shrinks

With 45 minutes to go before the Palin-Biden debate -- and maybe even after it -- the most important political news of the day is that ...

With 45 minutes to go before the Palin-Biden debate -- and maybe even after it -- the most important political news of the day is that the McCain campaign is pulling its people and resources out of Michigan.

Michigan had been one of the Kerry states McCain had hoped to win, in order to offset Obama's likely poaching of Iowa and New Mexico, along with (probably) Colorado and (maybe) Virginia. With those states polling bluer by the day, McCain needs to convert some other blue state in order to prevail.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) now must win Pennsylvania, Wisconsin or Minnesota in order to get enough electoral votes to win the presidency, his campaign says.

Those were considered swing states in 2000 and 2004, but George W. Bush lost them both times.

"Our ability to pick off one of those three states is where our fortunes are largely held," a McCain official said. "These are states where Barack Obama is on the defense."

Allen also says that the McCain people are looking at Maine's 2nd Congressional District. (Maine, along with Nebraska, splits its electoral votes by congressional district.) Playing for one electoral vote suggests they still think it's going to be mighty close. But if Obama can hold onto his new lead in Florida, that will obviously not be the case.